International Labour Organisation recognises Palestine as a state

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has voted to formally recognise Palestine as a state, in a recent decision, upgrading its status from "a liberation movement" to "a non-member observer state".

The step falls short of granting Palestine full membership, but gives it new rights and privileges within ILO activities and conferences, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) said.

The ILO is the UN agency tasked with setting international labour standards and advocating for social and economic justice.

The move was hailed by the ITUC.

"This recognition by the ILO marks an important step towards broader international acknowledgement of Palestinian statehood. It is a sign of hope and a strong gesture of solidarity with the Palestinian people, who continue to endure huge challenges to their human and labour rights," Luc Triangle, the General Secretary of ITUC said.

He noted that 146 countries had already recognised Palestine as a state and called on “all governments” to join them, adding that the trade union movement worldwide "remains committed to seeing Palestine accepted as a full and equal member of the international community".

In May 2024, Spain, Ireland and Norway recognised Palestine as a state amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

Last June, ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo criticised the "decimation" of Palestinian workers' rights due to the brutal war, which has so far killed at least 43,374 people, noting that half a million jobs had been lost and 200,000 Palestinians had been excluded from their workplaces in Israel.